StudyOSStudyOS CBSE Study Material, Class 5–12

Rama to the Rescue

NCERT Class 6 · English Based on NCERT Class 6 English textbook · Free CBSE study kit

Everything you need to ace this chapter, in one place.
Notes · Mind Map · Quiz · Assertion-Reason · Case Studies · Question Bank · Past Papers

Get Full Study Kit →
Studying with friends? Send them this chapter.

Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter is a folk tale about a clever husband and wife who outwit a thief by using a plan involving the village kotwal (policeman), Rama. It exists in the syllabus to teach students the value of quick thinking, teamwork, and presence of mind in solving problems. The one big idea a student must walk away with is that cleverness and cooperation can help us overcome dangerous situations without panic.
Key Concepts (16)
Rescue
To save someone from danger or trouble.
e.g. When a child falls into a well, the fire brigade comes to rescue him.
Kotwal
A village policeman in old Indian stories; also called thaanedar.
e.g. In the story, Rama is the kotwal who catches the thief.
Thief
A person who steals something secretly, especially by breaking into a house.
e.g. The thief dug a hole into the wall to enter the house.
Plan
A set of actions decided in advance to achieve a goal.
e.g. The wife planned to call out Rama's name in different tones to trick the thief.
Chatter
To talk for a long time about unimportant things.
e.g. The wife and husband chattered about naming their child to make the thief think they were awake.
Closely
Carefully, with full attention.
e.g. The wife said, 'I'd better listen closely' to hear the thief's movements.
Softly
In a quiet, gentle voice.
e.g. The wife planned to call out 'Rama' softly when the thief entered the house.
Loudly
In a way that makes a lot of sound.
e.g. She planned to call out 'Rama' very loudly to alert the kotwal.
Present Progressive Tense
A verb form that describes an action happening right now, formed with am/is/are + verb-ing.
e.g. I am reading a story. The thief is digging a hole.
Contraction
A shortened form of a word or group of words, using an apostrophe to show missing letters.
e.g. I'm (I am), it's (it is), don't (do not), we're (we are).
Adverb
A word that gives more information about a verb, such as how, when, or where an action happens.
e.g. In 'listen closely', 'closely' tells how to listen.
Exclamatory Sentence
A sentence that expresses a strong feeling and ends with an exclamation mark (!).
e.g. What a hard day it has been!
Interrogative Sentence
A sentence that asks a question and ends with a question mark (?).
e.g. What should we do?
Setting
The place and time where a story happens.
e.g. The story is set in a village, inside a house at night.
Problem
A difficult situation that needs to be solved.
e.g. The problem in the story is a thief entering the house.
Solution
The way a problem is solved.
e.g. The solution was calling the kotwal using a clever plan.
How It Works
How the husband and wife outwit the thief
  1. Step 1: The husband and wife hear a thief digging into their house at night.
  2. Step 2: Instead of panicking, the wife quickly thinks of a plan.
  3. Step 3: She tells her husband to pretend to talk normally about their money and jewels, so the thief hears and stays inside.
  4. Step 4: The wife plans to call out 'Rama' softly when the thief enters, then loudly when he is inside, to alert the kotwal.
  5. Step 5: The husband calls out 'Rama' as planned, and the kotwal comes running.
  6. Step 6: The kotwal catches the thief and takes him away.
💡 Students often think the husband made the plan, but it was the wife who thought of the idea. The husband only followed her instructions.
Forming the Present Progressive Tense
  1. Step 1: Identify the subject (I, he, she, it, we, they).
  2. Step 2: Choose the correct helping verb: am (with I), is (with he/she/it), are (with we/you/they).
  3. Step 3: Add the main verb with -ing (e.g., read → reading, play → playing, sit → sitting).
  4. Step 4: Combine: subject + helping verb + verb-ing.
💡 Students often forget to double the last letter in verbs like 'sit' (sitting) or 'run' (running). Also, do not use present progressive for future actions unless specified.
Using Contractions (Short Forms)
  1. Step 1: Identify the two words that can be combined (e.g., I am, do not, we will).
  2. Step 2: Remove one or more letters and replace them with an apostrophe (').
  3. Step 3: Write the contracted form (e.g., I'm, don't, we'll).
💡 Students often write 'its' instead of 'it's' (it is). 'Its' means belonging to it, while 'it's' is a contraction. Also, 'must've' is 'must have', not 'must of'.
Identifying Adverbs in Sentences
  1. Step 1: Find the verb in the sentence (action word).
  2. Step 2: Ask 'how?', 'when?', or 'where?' about the verb.
  3. Step 3: The word that answers that question is an adverb.
💡 Students often confuse adjectives with adverbs. For example, 'quick' is an adjective (a quick car), but 'quickly' is an adverb (runs quickly).
Punctuating Exclamatory and Interrogative Sentences
  1. Step 1: Read the sentence to understand the tone.
  2. Step 2: If it shows strong emotion (surprise, joy, anger, relief), end with an exclamation mark (!).
  3. Step 3: If it asks a question, end with a question mark (?).
  4. Step 4: Capitalize the first word and use commas or other punctuation as needed.
💡 Students often use a full stop (.) for exclamatory sentences. Remember: 'What a beautiful day!' is exclamatory, not a statement.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing who made the plan
✗ The husband made the plan to call the kotwal.
→ In the story, it is the wife who says 'I have a plan' and tells the husband what to do. The husband only follows her instructions.
✓ The wife cleverly devised the plan to call out Rama's name in different tones to alert the kotwal.
⚠ Misusing 'it's' and 'its'
✗ The dog wagged it's tail. (using apostrophe incorrectly)
→ 'It's' is a contraction for 'it is' or 'it has'. 'Its' (without apostrophe) shows possession, like 'his' or 'her'.
✓ The dog wagged its tail. (possession) / It's a beautiful day. (it is)
⚠ Writing 'must of' instead of 'must have'
✗ He must of been tired.
→ 'Must of' is incorrect because 'of' is a preposition. The correct contraction is 'must've', which stands for 'must have'.
✓ He must have been tired. / He must've been tired.
⚠ Using present progressive for future actions without context
✗ I am going to school tomorrow. (correct only if planned)
→ Present progressive can be used for future plans, but in the chapter, it is taught for actions happening now. Students often use it for all future actions incorrectly.
✓ I am studying now. (present action) / I will study tomorrow. (future action)
⚠ Confusing 'softly' and 'loudly' in the story sequence
✗ The wife called out 'Rama' loudly first, then softly.
→ The plan was to call softly when the thief enters, and loudly when he is inside, so the kotwal hears and comes.
✓ First, call out softly to alert the kotwal quietly, then call out very loudly so the kotwal runs to the house.
⚠ Thinking the kotwal's name is 'Rama' because he is the main character
✗ The story is about a man named Rama who rescues people.
→ Rama is the kotwal (policeman), not the husband. The husband and wife are unnamed characters who call out to Rama for help.
✓ Rama is the village kotwal who comes to rescue the husband and wife from the thief.
Compare & Contrast
Purpose and punctuation
Exclamatory Sentence
Interrogative Sentence
An exclamatory sentence expresses strong emotion and ends with an exclamation mark (!), while an interrogative sentence asks a question and ends with a question mark (?). Example: 'What a hard day!' (exclamatory) vs. 'What should we do?' (interrogative).
Time of action
Present Progressive Tense
Simple Present Tense
Present progressive describes an action happening right now (e.g., 'I am reading'), while simple present describes habits or general truths (e.g., 'I read every day'). In the chapter, 'Somebody is trying to get in' shows an action in progress.
Usage in speaking vs. writing
Contraction (e.g., I'm)
Expanded Form (e.g., I am)
Contractions are used in informal speaking and writing (e.g., 'I'm feeling sleepy'), while expanded forms are used in formal writing (e.g., 'I am feeling sleepy'). In exams, use expanded forms for formal answers unless the question asks for contractions.
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: 2 MCQs (1 mark each) on vocabulary or grammar, 1 Short Answer (2-3 marks) on story comprehension or character, 1 Long Answer (5 marks) on grammar application (e.g., fill in blanks with present progressive or adverbs), 1 Very Short Answer (1 mark) on punctuation.
Most asked: Present Progressive Tense (fill in the blanks, sentence formation) · Contractions (expanding and contracting words) · Adverbs (identifying and using them in sentences) · Punctuation of exclamatory and interrogative sentences · Comprehension questions based on the story (character, plot, problem, solution)
Don't skip: Fill in the blanks with the correct present progressive form of the verb (e.g., 'I ______________ in Grade 6. [am + study + ing]'); Expand or contract given words (e.g., 'what's' → 'what is', 'I will' → 'I'll'); Write a sentence using an adverb from the story (e.g., 'closely', 'softly', 'loudly'); Explain how the wife's cleverness helped solve the problem (5 marks)
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. The word 'rescue' means to save someone from danger.
  2. A kotwal is a village policeman, also called a thaanedar.
  3. In the story, the wife cleverly plans to call out 'Rama' softly and then loudly to catch the thief.
  4. The present progressive tense is formed using am/is/are + verb-ing (e.g., I am reading).
  5. A contraction uses an apostrophe to show missing letters, e.g., 'I'm' for 'I am'.
  6. Adverbs give more information about verbs, e.g., 'closely' tells how to listen.
  7. Exclamatory sentences express strong feelings and end with an exclamation mark (!).
  8. Interrogative sentences ask questions and end with a question mark (?).
  9. The husband and wife pretend to talk about their money to trick the thief into staying.
  10. Rama, the kotwal, runs to the house when he hears his name called loudly.
  11. The thief digs a hole into the house to enter, but is caught by the kotwal.
  12. Safety is important: lock doors and windows, and call 100 in an emergency.
  13. The wife says 'Ssssh!' to mean 'be silent' and listen carefully.
  14. The man says 'Oh, hum!' to show tiredness after a hard day.
  15. The thief wishes to steal jewels, but his plan fails because of the couple's cleverness.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. What does the word 'rescue' mean in the story 'Rama to the Rescue'?

  • A. To save someone from danger ✓
  • B. To make fun of someone
  • C. To ask someone for help
  • D. To run away quickly

Answer: A — The word rescue means to save or help someone who is in trouble or danger.

Q2. When the wife says 'Ssssh! Listen!', what does she mean?

  • A. Go to sleep
  • B. Be quiet and listen carefully ✓
  • C. Help me quickly
  • D. The thief is outside

Answer: B — 'Ssssh' is a sound that means be quiet and pay attention; the wife wants the man to listen carefully.

Q3. Who is Rama in the story?

  • A. The thief
  • B. The village policeman (kotwal) ✓
  • C. The man's friend
  • D. A neighbor's son

Answer: B — Rama is the kotwal (village policeman) who runs to help when he hears the man calling his name.

Q4. Fill in the blank: The man says 'I_____________ listen closely.' (Use contraction of 'I had')

  • A. I'm
  • B. I'd ✓
  • C. I'll
  • D. I've

Answer: B — I'd is the contraction for 'I had'; 'I had better listen closely' means 'I should listen carefully'.

Q5. Which sentence uses the present progressive tense correctly?

  • A. The thief digs into the house
  • B. The thief is digging into the house ✓
  • C. The thief will dig into the house
  • D. The thief dug into the house

Answer: B — Present progressive (is + verb-ing) shows an action happening right now; 'is digging' shows the action in progress at this moment.

Q6. The man calls out the kotwal's name 'softly' first and then 'very loudly'. These underlined words are ___________.

  • A. Verbs
  • B. Nouns
  • C. Adverbs ✓
  • D. Adjectives

Answer: C — Adverbs describe HOW an action is done; 'softly' and 'loudly' describe HOW the man calls out.

Q7. Why does the man's wife tell him to listen carefully?

  • A. Because a guest is arriving
  • B. Because she heard the noise of someone trying to enter the house ✓
  • C. Because it is time to sleep
  • D. Because the kotwal is coming to visit

Answer: B — The wife hears someone trying to break into the house and tells the man to listen so he can hear it too.

Q8. What is the contraction for 'we will'?

  • A. we're
  • B. we'd
  • C. we'll ✓
  • D. we've

Answer: C — We'll is the contraction for 'we will'; a contraction combines two words with an apostrophe.

Q9. The man shows cleverness by ___________.

  • A. Running away from the thief
  • B. Calling out the kotwal's name as part of his plan ✓
  • C. Waking up all the neighbors
  • D. Fighting the thief with a stick

Answer: B — The man thinks of a smart plan — calling the kotwal's name softly first and then loudly to get help, which shows he thinks before acting.

Q10. In the sentence 'They are saying something', the present progressive form is ___________.

  • A. They
  • B. are saying ✓
  • C. something
  • D. saying

Answer: B — The present progressive tense is formed by are + verb-ing; 'are saying' shows an action happening at this moment.

Flashcards

What does 'rescue' mean?

Rescue means to save someone from danger or trouble.

Who is the kotwal in the story?

Rama is the village kotwal (policeman) who catches the thief.

What does a contraction do?

A contraction joins two words together with an apostrophe, like 'I'm' for 'I am'.

What tense is 'is running' an example of?

It is the present progressive tense, showing an action happening right now.

How does the man get help from the kotwal?

The man calls out the kotwal's name 'Rama' loudly, and Rama hears and comes to help.

What does an adverb do?

An adverb describes how, when, or where an action happens, like 'quickly' or 'softly'.

What problem do the man and wife face?

A thief tries to enter their house while they are awake.

What is the man's plan in the story?

The man will call out the kotwal's name softly first, then very loudly to attract his attention.

What does 'Ssssh' mean when the wife says it?

'Ssssh' means be silent or listen quietly.

Give an example of present progressive tense from the story.

Example: 'Somebody is trying to get in' (is + trying shows action happening now).

Important Board Questions

What does the word 'rescue' mean? Use it in a sentence. [1 mark]

Rescue means to save. Write one sentence using this word — for example, about a person or animal being saved from danger.

Match the contractions with their expanded forms: 1. I'm (a) I had 2. I'd (b) I am 3. they're (c) they are [2 marks]

Remember: an apostrophe replaces missing letters. I'm removes 'a' from 'am'; I'd removes 'ha' from 'had'; they're removes 'a' from 'are'.

The man makes a clever plan to catch the thief. Explain his plan in 2-3 sentences with one example from the story. [3 marks]

The man's plan involves calling out the kotwal's name. Describe: (1) what he does first, (2) what he does next, (3) why this works to get help.

Identify the present progressive tense in these sentences and explain what it shows. Also, write one sentence of your own using present progressive tense. 1. 'Somebody is trying to get in.' 2. 'They are saying something.' [5 marks]

Present progressive = is/are + verb-ing. It shows an action happening RIGHT NOW, not in past or future. Your sentence must have the same structure: subject + is/are + verb-ing.

True or False? Give one reason for each. 1. The kotwal's name is Rama, and he is a thief. 2. Adverbs describe HOW an action is done. [2 marks]

For statement 1: Remember who Rama is in the story. For statement 2: Recall that adverbs give information about how, when, or where something happens.

Assertion-Reason Questions for Rama to the Rescue

Q1. Assertion (A):

Contractions are words that have one or more letters removed and replaced with an apostrophe.

Reason (R):

Examples of contractions are 'I'm' (I am), 'don't' (do not), and 'they're' (they are).

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason correctly explains what contractions are by giving real examples.

Q2. Assertion (A):

The present progressive tense is used to describe actions that are happening right now at this moment.

Reason (R):

Present progressive is formed by using 'is', 'am', or 'are' plus the -ing form of the verb.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true, and the reason explains exactly how we form the present progressive tense, which is the correct explanation of the assertion.

Q3. Assertion (A):

In the story 'Rama to the Rescue', the man's clever plan was to pretend the house was empty.

Reason (R):

The man wanted to trick the thief by calling out the kotwal's name at different volumes to catch the thief.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — Both are true statements—he did use a clever plan and called out Rama's name—but the reason does not correctly explain why he pretended the house was empty. His main plan was to use the thief's noise as a signal for help.

Unlock more Assertion-Reason questions in Premium — unlock →

Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for Rama to the Rescue

Case Study:

Ravi came home from school and found his younger sister crying. She had fallen down while playing and hurt her knee badly. Ravi did not panic. He quickly called their mother and got some water and a cloth. He gently cleaned her wound and helped her sit comfortably. Then their mother gave her medicine and put a bandage on her knee. Within minutes, his sister stopped crying and felt much better.

Q1. What problem did Ravi's sister face?

  • A. She could not find her school bag
  • B. She fell down and hurt her knee ✓
  • C. She was scared of going to school
  • D. She wanted to play outside

Answer: B

Q2. How did Ravi help his sister in the present progressive tense?

  • A. He was calling their mother and was getting water ✓
  • B. He called their mother and got water
  • C. He will call their mother and get water
  • D. He called their mother yesterday

Answer: A

Q3. Which adverb best describes how Ravi cleaned his sister's wound?

  • A. Angrily
  • B. Roughly
  • C. Gently ✓
  • D. Quickly

Answer: C

Unlock more case studies in Premium — unlock →

Next chapterThe Unlikely Best Friends →
Found this useful? Share it with your class group.

You've seen the free preview. Open the full interactive study kit — mind map, instant-graded quiz, progress tracking — free, no sign-in required.

Open Full Study Kit — Free →

Premium unlocks the full Question Bank, Daily Practice Papers, Chapter Quiz and Full Mock Papers for every chapter.